The Grand Old Girl
by F-14 Tomcat Lover
Summary: On that fateful day, in December of 2010, with the year nearly gone... An old girl steps up, lifting her skirts to hurry along. Tossing herself defiantly before the great bird, raven wings ablaze in light. Set ablaze by fiery orange light, the Grand Old Girl still fights on. Deafening the ears of assassins, long enough. Until the guards strike down in the name of peace for all.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own _**Ace Combat**_ or any franchise there of. Nor do I own the license property that _**Ace Combat**_ uses. And finally, why the hell do we still write these? How often does anyone actually care about these disclaimers used on a full on Fan Fiction Website? Just my opinion, ya know what I mean?

_**The Grand Old Girl**_

**XXXXX**

**December 30th, 2010**

**Ceres Ocean**

**XXXXX**

The sea shown itself to be calm. The ocean having only gentle swells, as is common this time of year. The Combined Allied Fleet cut gently through the smallish waves, leaving slightly forthly wakes behind them.

Aboard the flagship of the CAF, the unhurt _OFS Kestrel_, the pilots of both the Osea Federation and the Union of Yuktobania Republics sat down to their briefings to prepare for the final battle.

The fleet consisted of slightly more than a dozen Osea Maritime Defense Force Warships and a half dozen Supporting Ships with one Intelligence Vessel. The rest of the fleet consisted of Yuktobanian Naval Forces consisting of several Warships and two support Ships.

A nearby Republic of Emmeria Navy Destroyer, _ERS_ _Hortensia_, out on Neutrality Patrol and to escort Neutral Shipping, spotted the Combined Fleet, first on radar and then closed to verify the fleet's identity when IFF could not turn up an ID on the Ships.

The crew who stood out on decks couldn't believe their eyes. There, in the middle of a war between their two countries, Osean and Yuktobanian Ships sailed as one. Their national and naval flags flying proudly in the sky above each Ship.

But it was the decks of the Carrier OFS Kestrel that drew the most attention.

Aircraft from both nations sat on her decks. Two more could be seen being lifted up from the hangar bay. One was a Grumman F-14 Tomcat and the other a Mikoyan MiG-29K Fulcrum-D and both were being operated together.

The _OFS Kestrel_ was one of the few Carriers in the world able to operate both CATOBAR and STOBAR Aircraft at the same time. A change added after the Belkan War and the need to operate with allied nations with STOBAR Aircraft. The _Kestrel _was not fully accepted into the OMDF for that reason until 1999, despite having been in active service since 1995.

Indeed, during the Continental War, Osea had secretly and not-so-secretly provided support to ISAF in a variety of ways.

This included the Carriers _OFS Buzzard_, _OFS Vulture_, and _OFS Kestrel_ going to the aid of retreating ISAF units. That had amounted to taking on ISAF Carrier Aircraft, launching attacks those same aircraft, and even using Osean Aircraft, still marked as Osean and flown by Osean pilots in Osean uniforms and using Osean equipment with Osean marked ordnance.

_Kestrel _was fighting her first war purely for Osea.

And that had now turned out different as she sailed as the flagship of a Combined Allied Fleet composed of Osean and Yuktobanian Ships, Aircraft, and Personnel.

"Something has happened," _Hortensia_'s Captain mutters to himself before ordering a signal sent to the ships via Light.

He wanted to know if there was reason for the caution.

The message he received was a Communications Channel.

"_This is _Kestrel _Actual, can you hear me _Hortensia_?"_ an elderly voice came over the radio a moment later after the connection had been made.

"_Hortensia_ Actual here, _Kestrel _Actual," Commander Kenneth Ford confirmed, "_Kestrel_ Actual what is going on? We see you and Yuktobanian Ships in formation, set in a combat array. Can you explain?"

"_Yes, I can _Hortensia _Actual,"_ Captain Nicolas A. Anderson responded back from his ship, "_We're in formation preparing to launch a joint sortie against a common enemy. Our two nations' leaders were secretly deposed by Radicals in both nations that are secretly being controlled by a hidden Cabal."_

The bridge crew of Hortensia blink at hearing that. When Commander Ford requests a repeat, and gets it, he responds that's what he thought he had heard. And what he wasn't expecting either.

Captain Anderson briefed the Emmerian officer on what was happening and what had been happening. Ford also learned that both leaders should be in Oured, preparing to meet. Commander Ford did confirm that Emmeria Intelligence had confirmed some minor street fighting in Oured. Apparently a small group of unknown assailants had managed to steal into Bright Hill before being subdued by a Marine Recon Force unit called Sea Goblin.

As to why there was a Marine Recon Force in Bright Hill, Emmeria Intelligence had been drawing a blank. The unit was believed to be part of the Osean 3rd Fleet and was currently unaccounted for by anyone.

"_They were stationed aboard my ship and I sent them with the President when he returned to Bright Hill,"_ Anderson easily answered that question, "_We knew it was a big risk, so most of Sea Goblin went with President Harling and the rest followed with some Yuktobanian Special Forces loyal to Prime Minister Nikanor when he departed from my ship as well in hopes that having both leaders together, we can end this war immediately."_

"On behalf of my crew and country," Ford began, "I can safely say that we also agree with the speedy conclusion of this w-"

"_CIC TO BRIDGE!"_ the CIC on both ships could be heard in stereo, "_UNDERWATER LAUNCHES DETECTED!"_

"GENERAL QUARTERS!" Ford ordered as communications with _Kestrel _ended at that point.

"MISSILES!" a lookout spotted, witnessing the missiles break the surface, their outer covers giving way to let them fly freely in the sky, "Oh God, those are Anti-Carrier Missiles!"

Gunfire from _Kestrel _was slow to come about, but the fleet had reacted instantly.

The Escort Ships of the formation, both Osean and Yuktobanian, were reacting immediately and began pumping all out with CIWS and their Main Guns.

Several Missiles exploded. Hit by the combination of firepower that the CAF Escorts could bring to bear. But one Missile broke through to slam into _Kestrel_'s starboard flank, exploding into the ship.

"She's hit! She's hit!" Ford heard one of his crew shouting, almost distantly, as he could see the plume of fire and smoke.

"By the Golden King, how many died just now?" Ford wondered aloud as his CIC began to provide information and his XO managed to shake him back to the world.

"Sir get down to CIC and fight the ship!" the man shouted at his superior.

"You have the Bridge XO!" and Ford began his race to get to CIC in a hurry.

**XXXXX**

Meanwhile, across the CAF, the second largest ship in the Fleet saw the blow to _Kestrel_.

Without hesitation, the captain ordered his ship to full speed with the plan to dash his ship directly in between the _Kestrel _and the enemy Submarine attacking.

The old engineers down in the Engineering Spaces got the order. They had learned a few things, keeping these old turbines a humming and spinning. One of those things, had been to goose out a few extra knots in less time than ever before. Largely thanks to the next technology that had been added in the ship's last refit for her electronics.

"Switch the APUs online, that should give us a little more juice to turn the screws," the head engineer ordered, "But keep one offline and in reserve and another only powered half up. Too much juice and we throw a screw. We'll also be needing that extra power later."

_OFS Spitfire_ began her mad dash.

An older _Valiant_-class Fast Battleship, she would be living up to the title today.

With her screws turning with the extra power and knowledge her Engineering Crew knew and the equipment installed over the long years of her career, the elderly Battleship was spiking up to 37.1 knots.

It would prove to be fast enough. Though almost wasn't. Nevertheless, the _OFS Spitfire_ would make one of the most memorable saves in Naval History.

"Rotate and fire CIWS, Fivers, and Bofors!" Captain Rodrick Gearing orders as the racing Osean Battleship begins spewing out 20mm Phalanx and 40mm Bofors, "God I love the new Bofors!"

A war of metal appears between the _Kestrel _and the second salvo.

Immediately three Missiles are hit. Two cut in half by CIWS and one by Bofors bursting right in front of it, detonating the warhead in a spectacular show of pyrotechnics. A fourth Missile shatters, warhead detonating brightly, after a 5'/38 caliber round explodes near itl. Another Missile dies to _Kestrel_'s own CIWS with a head on shot down its length, but one more is heading in.

**XXXXX**

"CEASE FIRE!" the CIC OiC shouts, "_SPITFIRE_ IS IN THE WAY!"

**XXXXX**

And then the Fast Battleship is alongside _Kestrel_.

Her engines still pumping away. Her armored hull and citadel put between the incoming Missile and _Kestrel_. The crew continued to bring the 5in guns into play, despite the close range as the 20s and 40s continued to rain nonstop fire at the incoming Missile.

"IT'S TOO CLOSE!" someone shouts into the Comms.

"TOO LOW! TOO LOW!" another crewmember reports.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Captain Gearing shouts before grabbing onto something with the rest of the Bridge Crew.

Then the Missile impacts the _Spitfire_.

Striking well above the hull, the Missile slammed right into the Citadel itself of the Superstructure.

Entering directly into one of the Mess Halls located there. The explosion tore the Mess Hall to pieces, dismounting the No.2 20mm Phalanx CIWS from its position and tossing the heavy construct down to the Main Deck and some 20 meters forward. The automated No.2 40mm Twin Barrel Bofors position one deck down was also demolished with the twin barrel defense weapon being nearly tossed into the sea, but instead crashing against the No.4 5inch Turret with enough force to nearly enter the Turret itself.

Wooden decking that had never been removed, only replaced as needed, caught fire immediately where it hadn't been been pulverized into mulch or turned into splinters that had peppered all sections of the ship around the hit point.

Crew were tossed or thrown about their ship's interior. The crew outside, manning the Stinger Pits ran for their lives and were blown over the sides, desperately grabbing at something to keep from falling to their deaths. Damage Control personnel immediately rushed out to fight fires and rescue fellow crew members screaming in pain and for help.

Up in the armored Bridge, the Captain had been tossed across his mighty tower of metal to slam into the armored door on the other side. He screamed in pain as his arm was dislocated and a leg broken.

The Helmsman, despite the force of the blast, held true to form, keeping the ship straight and on course, even as a shard of broken glass cut across his nose, nearly removing it from his face.

Others were either tossed or hit by flying debris.

TVs and Media Players were dismounted from their fixtures. The remaining Mess Halls were shaken with items falling all over the floor decking and tables and chairs and benches being upended. Several minor fires broke out in other sections of the ship as systems suffered feedbacks and pipes snapped and exploded.

Down in Engineering, the Chief Engineer was shaken with the rest of his team, but they were too far back and safely secure from the blast.

Nevertheless, he ordered the APUs that were on, off, main power reduced and the still offline APU brought online and the half powered APU brought up to full.

Power throughout the ship had been struggling, now it stabilized.

Already the wounded were flooding into unaffected areas of the ship to be treated. The main Sickbay had been badly damaged. DC ordered it evacuated when they confirmed fire too close by. The Chief Medical Officer cleared his Sickbay and carried the wounded deeper down into the hull of the ship, safe from both enemy fire and flames burning at their ship.

The DC crew to arrival on the Bridge found Captain Gearing refusing to leave his post. He had a ship to fight. He'd be damned first if he was going to be removed by anything short of Torpedoes sinking his ship!

"And I'll die at my station first!" Captain Rodrick Gearing shouts angrily, "You hear me! You damned enemy Sub!"

**XXXXX**

Over on Port Side, the No.1 CIWS was immobilized and nearly twisted off its mount. The No.1 Bofors was unharmed and fully functional. None of the weapons on Starboard or Port were damaged at tall.

Power flickered throughout the ship. Her Sensors were briefly seen stopping. Her running lights blinked on and off several times. Her Port Side automatic weapons, save the disabled No.1 CIWS, dropped as they lost power to their functions before it restored itself and they rose back up, ready to serve.

The Fast Battleship carried on, her speed slowing, but providing the hurt _Kestrel _with a pacing armored shield.

And despite raging fires burning across her Midships, the Spitfire rotated her three Main Gun Turrets into service.

"FIRE!" the wounded Captain Gearing shouted from the Armored Citadel of the Bridge.

The nine guns then roared to life together as one, firing blanks, but with the barrels depressed near the water.

The immediate effect scrambled the enemy Submarine's ability to lock onto either ship with Torpedoes or more Missiles. The acoustic sound of the _Kestrel _and _Spitfire_'s screws briefly lost in the overpowering roar of the guns against the ocean. The enemy Submarine could not detect nor locate either ship for almost 16 seconds.

Enough time for the Osean and Yuktobanian Corvettes and Frigates to instead begin actively pinging away to locate it. Supported by Helicopters, the Submarine is forced down and away. The fear of being hit by the combined ASW above it, making itself well known, but unknown to it, is the _ERS_ _Hortensia _at the edge of the entire episode.

**XXXXX**

Being further away and able to research the acoustics of the Missiles and identify their make and type, the Emmerian ship comes up with a surprising and shocking discovery.

"_Kestrel_ Actual, can you me!?" Ford shouts into the radio, "The Missiles and Submarine appear to be from the Royal Navy of Erusea!"

**XXXXX**

The _Gumrak _heard the communications and her Captain made the necessary adjustments.

In moments, _Gumrak _is able to pick up the offending Submarine. Attempting to silently egress out and around to strike at the Kestrel from another angle. The Carrier is now vulnerable as she begins launching all of the planes on her decks.

Fortunately, none were knocked into the sea when she was hit or dislodged at all.

But if the Submarine strikes again, while launching, the _Kestrel _is doomed.

Another answer from _Spitfire_. The _Gumrak _detects the overpressure waves once more masking both ships. It will last only moments, but that's more time for _Gumrak _to coordinate the others.

The _OFS Fealty_ and _OFS Honor_ suddenly indicate they have contact. _Gumrak _confirms. The Submarine down below is caught between a rock and a deep place.

_Gumrak_'s Captain orders a series of Morse Codes signals sent to the enemy Submarine.

Because even as she is trying to hide and mask herself from the CAF above water, she fails to note the _Oured_-class and _Barrakuda_-class Attack Submarines, _OFS Oured_ herself and the _Karp_.

The two Allied Subs begin to stark their prey.

Quietly approaching at different attack angles. The two Captains had worked together aboard different Subs during the Belkan War when they were younger. Both men know the trick to make their attack work.

_Spitfire _fires again. Once more masked, the Submarine has to try and track them with the loss of sound for critical moments.

Suddenly the Erusean Submarine flinches.

**XXXXX**

The _REN Hrothgar_ continues on as her Captain weighs his choices.

But he looks to his crew for what he should do. The terrible weight now upon them. Their identity known. They were supposed to be invisible thanks to the Belkans' new technology.

Damn them!

**XXXXX**

_Gumrak_'s message is being received. That they know where she is from and it is only a matter of time before her Sonar profile is identified. _Gumrak _makes it clear that Yuktobanian Intelligence is quite good in Usea.

Though it is a bluff. They're good, just not _that _good. Unfortunately, but the Eruseans down below don't know that.

Cat and mouse as _Spitfire _fires off another blank, this time by volley. Higher chance of detecting both ships, but longer delayed detection if it works.

The Eruseans show they have figured out Spitfire's work and begin to adjust to attack. Regardless of the International ramifications their attack will do. The crew feel they must stop Osea _now!_ If they are to ensure their nation's survival against an Osean invasion.

That's why they are here.

"_POZHAR!"_ Gumrak's Captain orders.

At the same time _Oured_, _Karp_, _Honor_, and _Fealty _fire as well.

**XXXXX**

"Enemy Submarine sunk!" a lookout aboard _Kestrel _shouts as the crew cheer the destruction of their attacker.

The crew cheer wildly as they watch the final bit of debris and water come splashing back down. The enemy Submarine that had managed to damage their Ship is now gone. They had managed to survive with moderate damage and no losses. The OFS Kestrel will be pulling into her homeport come next year and that's only days away.

"Spitfire's aflame!" someone else shouts and everyone who heard turn and gasp at the Fast Battleship is almost engulfed from fore to aft.

Her Main Guns now drooped, as fires burn wildly across her. In order to fire her Main Guns, the DC teams had to stay indoors. Now the flames, left to burn out of control, are burning the ship across much of her length.

Allied Ships rush over and the Emmerian Destroyer pulls alongside.

Together, the ships around the burning Battleship fight the raging flames with high pressure hoses shooting water across the open waters. Two of the Ships, a pair of Yuktobanian Corvettes, close in on one side, getting so close, the two Ships look in danger of catching fire themselves.

On the other, the _Hortensia _closes in and rescues crewmen from the Secondary Turrets on that side. Behind her the Destroyer _OFS_ _Seagull _sprays water and foam in the hopes of keeping the Battleship's T-LAM Launcher Boxes cool and safe. One of the Osean Frigates, _OFS Tungsten_, moves in front of the larger Emmerian Destroyer and gently presses her nose right up to the Battleship, now she can spray water and get volunteers aboard to fight the flames on the Battleship's decks.

Behind them, the Destroyer _OFS Finch_ maneuvers to put more volunteers aboard aft as the Battleship is moving slowly to control the fires burning her.

Nearby, _OFS_ _Cormorant _protects the area between the Battleship and the Carrier.

The Yuktobanian Ships _Bystry _and _Budusheye _maneuver to provide Kestrel with proper protection as the Fleet reorganizes itself.

"_Spitfire_," one Yuktobanian crewman tries not to cry at the sight of the burning Battleship. The long storied Battleships have not have much luck in recent years. As though the world is telling them they are no longer needed.

Yet, _Spitfire _and her escorts had arrived when they were needed. Saving so many of them and siding with the _Kestrel _Fleet when the other Oseans had not. In doing so, she not only fired her Main Guns on the Yuktobanian Navy, but on her fellow Oseans as well. All for the chance of peace and to honor her commitment to her _Rodina_.

"She is truly a Grand Old Girl," one Osean sailor took his hat off as he said that before coming to salute the on fire ship.

All the crews aboard all of the witnessing vessels saluted. Hoping for the best, but acknowledging the worst possibility, for the Grand Old Girl.

They can only wait and see.

Pray and hope.

**XXXXX**

Captain Anderson looks up and sees the Aircraft he launched do one last circuit as they all join up. Then after forming their teams, they fly off, heading east to meet the enemy.

But not without one last pass over the burning Battleship.

"Finally," Captain Anderson says, unaware of Genette being next to him with Pops, "I've lost time and time again, but now look. Victory. Look my friends, they are off. We've done it."

Genette is awed by the Captain's words and even more so when he starts humming that song the Anti-War Protestors had sung at the stadium.

Turning to see the departing planes, the flames and smoke from the burning Battleship behind them and off to one side, he lifts up a camera he got from the crew and snaps a picture.

"_This is President Harling of the Osea Federation. Attention all Osean and Yuktobanian officers and soldiers currently on the battlefield. Let us put down our guns and come out of the trenches. The Osean Capital of Oured has been freed of the people who took advantage of my absence to usurp control of the country._

_Once robbed of my freedom and my ability to do the right thing, I now again stand under the light of the golden sun, and I do so with the honorable Yuktobanian Prime Minister Nikanor by my side._

_We have solved our terrible and unfortunate misunderstandings and the war is now over._

_This is Prime Minister Nikanor, head of government for the Union of Yuktobania Republics. Attention all officers and soldiers of Osea and Yuktobania currently on the battlefield. Please watch as President Harling and I stand shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand._

_President Harling's words are true. The war is over, but there is still one more battle that still needs to be fought._

_We believe that those who have tried to stir hatred between us are now preparing a weapon that could wipe out half of all metropolitan areas in either one of our countries._

_Our comrades are in flight as I speak, determined to stop this plan dead in its tracks._

_Which country is under threat of Mass Destruction? That, we do not know._

_However, that is no longer important. No matter which country is hit, it would be a severe blow to all of us._

_So now I ask you, members of the military. If you see it in your hearts, please utilize the resources available to you and help out our brave pilots. Right now, they are flying East to meet the enemy._

_To those that still dare to hide behind the power of their hateful weapons. Bring yourself before the light of peace and harmony."_

_**Sacrifice to Peace **_would go on to win numerous awards. The picture eventually was painted and hung in Bright Hill with a special location selected in its honor. Many duplicates would be found the world over, as people imagine the heroic Battleship sacrificing herself for a Carrier that would launch the planes that would go on and save world peace.

But despite the heavy fires, _OFS Spitfire_ managed to survive thanks to her gallant crew and brave volunteers from the other ships as well as the courageous Ships themselves.

Over 400 sailors would be burned to some degree fighting the fires, but they would all survive. Her XO, who joined the efforts, included. Others were wounded when the ship was struck and damaged.

Captain Gearing was promoted to Rear Admiral alongside Captain Anderson. _Spitfire _was ordered into Reserve after lengthy repairs and a final round of refits. Her place in history assured by her valiant action.

By 2020, it was hoped to secure her as a Museum and have her on display once more by 2025.

But, instead, she heeded the call once more for war, slipping her lines and leaving her moorings for one more journey into battle.

Against the enemy nation, whose Submarine had set her aflame in a mad bid to allow for Nuclear War.

Not again. Not ever again. Just as the Super Submarine _Alicorn _would find out. When there are good people to man the decks, there is a good ship ready to serve and protect. No matter old she may be.

But that's a different story. For the next generation of young men and women.


End file.
